Page 79 of Stone Rules

“Kids?” Her eyes snap to mine. “As in more than one?”

I nod. “I want as many as you’ll give me, Charlie.”

“What about whatIwant,” she asks, looking down at me through lidded eyes, making my cock spring to life again.

“Anything,” I say. “You can have anything you want. Name it.”

“I want to watch the video again. And then I want you to take me to bed.”

She doesn’t have to ask me twice. I angle the chair so we both have a good view of the computer monitor. I have a feeling this won’t be the last time we watch this. I have a feeling this is going to be the first of many memorable nights together. I have a feeling that despite the horrible things in our pasts, at this moment, we feel we’re the luckiest two people on earth.

I smile and press play.

Chapter Thirty-seven

I spent this morning making phone calls. Phone calls that had nothing to do with work and everything to do with telling my brothers and my parents about my upcoming nuptials. I’d been keeping the news of Charlie’s pregnancy pretty close to my chest. But now that we’re engaged and she’s showing more and more every day, it’s time to spread the word.

As far as I’m concerned this baby is mine. And nobody else needs to know differently. I won’t have them thinking about Charlie in a negative way. And I certainly won’t have them looking at my kid as if it weren’t truly a part of the family. I’m pretty sure none of my immediate family would do that, but gossip has a way of spreading like wildfire, so Charlie and I decided enough people know the truth already and the fewer people we tell, the better.

It’s her day off today and I’m meeting her for lunch so we can take a walk. Between swimming and walking, she’s determined not to gain too much weight. I could care less. She’d be beautiful if she put on fifty pounds as far as I’m concerned. But I’m being supportive. And I hate for her to walk through the park alone. So she agreed to use the gym when I’m not available to join her.

I find myself getting restless as the lunch hour draws near. We didn’t get much of a chance to talk last night. We were . . . otherwise occupied. It had been so long since we had been together. Too long. I couldn’t stop touching her. I couldn’t stop staring at her burgeoning baby bump thinking of how it only makes her sexier. And then afterward, she fell asleep. Exhausted from our activities.

I smile thinking of how this morning I grilled our steaks for breakfast because the only food we managed to eat last night was the strawberries and chocolate. I get hard just remembering it. She said she loved me again. I told her I’d grill her steaks for breakfast every damn day if she would tell me that every morning.

I look at my watch to see it’s almost time to meet her. I grab my gym bag and head into the bathroom to change into workout clothes. Although we’re only walking, we do tend to work up a good sweat. And now that we’re well into June, the weather can get downright hot at times.

I lock my office, slip my key and phone into my pocket and head for the door. When I near reception, I hear Gretchen talking to someone in the waiting area. She’s raising her voice in anger and I wonder if we have the disgruntled spouse of a client trying to gain access. It happens from time to time. It’s why we have bullet-proof glass and restricted access.

I freeze when I hear Charlie’s voice. “Gretchen, this is getting a little old isn’t it? Do we have to do this dance every time I come here? No, I don’t have an appointment. Ethan was supposed to meet me downstairs, but I was early, and I really have to pee so I thought I’d come up.”

I smile, ready to open the door and let her through when Gretchen speaks again. “You think you are so high and mighty, don’t you? You think Ethan will just drop everything when you come around. Well, let me tell you something—he’ll never change. He’s not cut out for relationships. He likes to fuck. He liked to fuck me, and I guess now he likes to fuck you. But he’ll tire of you and when he does, I’m the one who will be here. I’m the one he has leaned on all these years. I’ve put in my time and I’m the one who will eventually reap the benefits. So play your little game with him now. I’m not going anywhere.”

I almost rip the door off the hinges trying to get out to the reception area. To Charlie. I quickly look around, relieved no clients are waiting because I’m about to tear into Gretchen like she’s never seen. But before I can open my mouth, Charlie shakes her head at me. I’m confused. She doesn’t want me to defend her?

“Oh, hi, Ethan,” Charlie says with a huge smile. “I was just getting ready to ask Gretchen to calm down. All the anger coming off her is emanating so much heat in here, don’t you think?” She fans herself dramatically. Then she proceeds to remove the jacket she’s wearing over her track suit. And when she does, there is no mistake about it, she’s either hiding a small cantaloupe under her tight tank top, or she’s pregnant. By this time, some of my employees are peeking around the corner, having no doubt heard some of Gretchen’s tirade.

I look over at Gretchen, whose jaw is so far open it almost hits the countertop. “What the hell?” she spits at Charlie.

Well, that’s one way to break the news to the office. I pull my office key out of my pocket. I offer it to Charlie. “This is a master key that opens all the doors in the office. It’s yours now.” Charlie smiles and holds out her left hand to accept the key, making sure my big fat diamond is apparent to anyone who might be paying attention.

Gretchen’s eyes turn dark when she sees it. “You have to be fucking kidding me,” she pouts.

“Charlie is going to be the mother of my child,” I tell her. “She’s also graciously agreed to be my wife. And as such, she’ll be entitled to half the stake in my company. That will make her your boss, Gretchen. So show some fucking respect or get the hell out.”

“Ugh!” She looks around at the audience of employees. Then she straightens her pencil skirt and holds her chin high. She reaches down to grab her purse and a few things off her desk before she rounds the corner and comes out the reception door. “Good luck trying to replace me, Ethan. I’m the reason you get most of your clients you know.” She adjusts her cleavage to reveal even more.

“If you really think that, Gretchen, you’re dumber than I gave you credit for.”

She parades through the room, not bothering to look at Charlie. I know it hurts her to see another woman pregnant when she can’t have kids of her own. But she truly brought this on herself by being such a selfish bitch.

“Gretchen, wait,” I say before she reaches the outer door.

She turns around, a glimmer of hope flashing across her face that maybe I’ve changed my mind. I hold my hand out to her. “I’m going to need your keys,” I say.

She huffs through her nose as she reaches into her purse, retrieving her set. She throws them at my head, but Charlie reaches out and catches them just before they hit me.

“It goes both ways,” Charlie says, smiling. “I’ll always be here to protect you, too.”

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